Harry Potter and the Talons of La Mal
by robster72
Summary: Complete. Strange goings on at school. People disappearing. Strange dolls appearing and all the while, something sinister going on. Yo Hermy, why you always baggin on me?” And Voldemort finds possessing people difficult when you don't speak the language
1. Default Chapter

**Chapter One - Muggle Studies**

Harry Potter pushed his glasses up his nose and read the piece of paper in front of him. "Describe using diagrams where appropriate the correct way to operate a kettle." This was the first question of his muggle studies test. He dipped his quill into the ink and carefully wrote his name at the top. He looked at the question again and then underlined his name. He tried to draw a kettle. It ended up looking like an orange. He added a handle. Now it looked like a suitcase. He added a couple of arrows and a few helpful words saying things like "button" and "pour water in here." He looked under the paper to carry on looking at the graffiti on the table. Someone, he didn't know who, had scratched a crude picture of Professor Snape on the desk. This graffiti moved though. Whenever he lifted up the paper, Snape started dancing around the desk and putting his tongue out at him. It certainly brightened up an otherwise dull lecture though!

He looked up at Professor Crippel. He was quite different to any of their other teachers. He was dressed in white trainers, stone washed jeans and a football top. He also had a baseball cap on backwards. His long white hair was tied in plats down his back. He was grinning at them from the front of the classroom. His desk was covered in all sorts of junk, from kettles to phones.

"This question won't be in your test," said the Professor, leaning nonchalantly on his desk, whilst trying to fix something into his ear. "But it does give you a good idea of what to expect."

"If it won't be in the test," whispered Ron to Harry, "what is the point of us being here?"

Professor Crippel turned to face Harry and Ron. "This is a study session, your muggle exam is in three weeks time and if you are going to whisper have a care not to do it when I am trying out a hearing aid!"

Hermione's hand shot up. "Sir!" She shouted. Professor Crippel leapt to his feet and pulled his hearing aid from his ear.

"Please don't shout at me!"

"Sorry sir. I just wanted to know how much of the final result is the test based on?"

"Fifty percent of the final mark is on the test, twenty five percent is on coursework, and the final twenty five percent is on a presentation on muggle theatre you all have to give."

Harry, who had been looking at the picture of Snape doing the can can, shot to attention at this. "What presentation is this?"

Ron who was sitting next to him, also looked up at this. Harry looked over at him and mouthed. "Did you know about this?" He shook his head at him. He looked over at Hermione who stared at the ceiling and shook her head.

"I'm sure I gave you the notes on it last week," said Professor Crippel. He scratched his head, dislodging his baseball cap, and looking at his desk. "Oh just a minute, they are here under these deeveedee players!" He pulled the notes out, dusted the biscuit crumbs off them and handed them out, whilst walking round the classroom. "It only needs to be a five minute piece of theatre or even a muggle magic show, but don't cheat in it! I'll be keeping all wands at the front! Sleight of hand only!"

"What's the point of that, sir?" Asked Ron, putting his hand up and talking at the same time. "We've been taught proper magic for years."

"If you want to understand the muggles you have to become a muggle. Just convince me for five minutes, that you are a muggle."

"What sort of presentation?" Asked Harry.

Professor Crippel shook his head. "Haven't you been paying attention in any of my lessons?"

Harry looked over at Ron who shook his head.

Professor Crippel looked over at Harry and used his slow voice he reserved for the terminally thick or for muggles. "We've got a day trip to Oxford tomorrow to collect muggle items for the presentation. Wear your muggle clothes."

Hermione put her hand up. "How are we getting to Oxford sir?"

Professor Crippel, put his hand to his face. "Don't any of you pay attention? It was in my notes, the ones I've just given you. Meet here at 1pm tomorrow. Class dismissed."

Harry marched out of the classroom. Oxford? Tomorrow? He had jeans and t-shirt. He wasn't bothered about looking like a muggle. The rest of his class though? Half of the class came from wizarding families; he dreaded to think what they would look like. He'd seen what some of the wizarding community had looked like at the Quidditch world cup. He gave a small smile. Most of them looked more out of place in muggle clothes than they would do in their robes. Ron and Hermione ran to his side.

"Wait up, Harry, where are you going?" Said Ron.

"Double potions, if you hadn't forgotten?" Said Harry, looking curiously at Ron. "Are you sure that forgetfulness spell Malfoy cast on you last night isn't still working?"

"What forgetfulness spell?" Said Ron. "That reminds me, where is that sneaky so and so beetling off to?" It was true. Malfoy was looking very thoughtful and whispering to Crabbe and Goyle as they left. Whatever it was Malfoy was saying it seemed to cause no end of amusement to his friends. Probably looking for someone else to bully.

They walked through the corridors. The pictures in the corridor were all empty? Harry and Ron were just commenting on this when they saw the final picture. It was a picture of a big feast and all the characters from the paintings were eating and having fun. Harry saw the Fat Lady there, who normally stood guard over the Gryffindor common room. She raised a hand in greeting to them, whilst finishing off a roast turkey with the other hand.

"So that's how she keeps her figure," said Hermione primly. "Come on we had better hurry before the stairs change again!" She stopped in front of them. The stairs had just moved to the next floor. Malfoy, Goyle and Crabbe were grinning at them from the other side of the hallway, from which the stairs had just been moved. Malfoy got out his wand and touched it to the doorway he was in and muttered an incantation. The doorway seemed to fade in color. The staircases seemed to avoid that doorway now.

"Sorry about that Potter!" Shouted Malfoy across the chasm. "I know how you hate to miss Potions." He looked suddenly worried. "Gosh I hope Snape doesn't punish you all for this? I mean if he docks you 40 points Slytherin would be in the lead!" Crabbe and Goyle started laughing and they all disappeared into the gloom of the corridor.

"That complete git!" Said Ron, waving his wand threateningly at the retreating backs of Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. "Explodio custardo!" A custard pie erupted from Ron's wand and exploded messily over Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"Ron!" Shouted Harry and Hermione together.

"Sorry," said Ron, wiping custard from his face. "Fred and George told me that one. No wonder they asked me to not try it when they were about."

Harry and Hermione wiped the custard from the faces and looked at the edge of the hallway. All around them they could see the magical stairs changing levels and moving from door to door.

Hermione looked at her watch. It started squeaking at her. "Late! You are late for Potions! Run! Run!" Hermione looked at the staircase below them.

"We'll have to jump," said Hermione.

"Jump!" Said Harry. He looked down about one hundred foot straight down. Of course there was not much chance of hitting the floor, they would probably be smacked by a moving staircase before that.

"You've been higher than this in Quidditch?" Said Hermione.

Harry looked at Ron, he also looked nervous. "Hermione we were flying on brooms at the time."

"Have you any better ideas?" Said Hermione.

This was stupid. Harry took five steps back. Steeled himself and ran at the gap…

Hermione shouted. "No Harry, don't!"

His arms held out in front of him he managed to grab the edge of the doorframe. The breath was knocked out him and a quill from his bag fell out and fluttered down to the ground. He had done it! He clambered up, wheezing and holding his sides where they had been bruised.

"Harry you idiot, you might have been killed!" Shouted Hermione from the other side of the chasm. Her face was a mixture of relief that he had survived and annoyance that he had tried it in the first place.

Harry still couldn't talk, because he was winded.

Hermione got out her wand and said "Jumporium jumporus," and pointed it at her feet. She then leapt easily across the chasm and landed next to Harry.

"Are you sure when Malfoy hit Ron with that forgetful spell he didn't get you as well?"

"I forgot about that one," Harry managed to whisper out.

"Evidently." She turned round to face Ron, who was looking at them in round-eyed amazement. "Come on Ron, just say the spell and jump!"

Ron pointed his wand at his feet. "Jumporium jumporus." Ron took a couple of steps back and leapt across the gap, straight into Harry and Hermione. Harry was sent flying into an old suit of armor that clattered noisily to the ground.

"Sorry Harry, sorry Hermione!" Said Ron, holding Hermione's hand to help her to her feet. He was taking a bit too long about it as well, thought Harry.

Coughing slightly Harry got his feet. With a clanking sound the suit of armor, muttering muffled medieval curses clambered back onto its stand.

"Come on boys! We've got to go!" Hermione ran down the corridor, leaving a slightly bemused looking Ron and Harry.

"Girls." Said Ron looking at Hermione and then ran after her. Harry, his breathing back to normal now ran after Ron.

Why were they running for one of Snape's lessons? Oh, yes, they didn't want to be late.

They ran down the corridor and through the black door that was the entrance to Snape's lesson. Harry tore into the lesson and sat down next to Ron.

Snape was at the front of the class. His lip curled up (for a moment Harry thought he was about to sing like the graffiti Snape) "Potter, glad you could make it. I thought you were too busy giving interviews to your fans to pay attention to classes."

"Sorry sir," Harry mumbled. Why did he always pick on him? Ron and Hermione were just as late.

"All three of you late? I'm docking you ten points each of Gryffindor," hissed Snape.

Harry hated himself for thinking that last thought. He knew it would do no good but he would have to say something. "Sir, Malfoy stopped the staircase to this room."

Snape turned to look at Harry, his eyes glittering. "What did you say?"

"It was Malfoy he…"

"The magic required to stop the staircase in Hogwarts is powerful dark magic. It is way beyond your level. I will not hear these excuses. You are docked another ten points for making up such foul rubbish. You will also have a detention where I will teach to tell lies against your classmates."


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer - All characters owned by J K Rowling. I own several shoes and a plant. If I don't make any money from this please check my e-bay account!

**Chapter Two – Harry Potter**

Harry Potter had a cloth in his hands and he was trying his hardest to clean the desks in Snape's classroom. What a terrible day he was having. This stuff on the desk was really difficult to clean as well. He had to wrap the cloth around it and peel it off the desk. Slurp. It wriggled free and landed happily back on the desk. He looked over at his wand forlornly. Snape was at the front of the classroom, reading a book.

"No Potter," said Snape. "You are not to use spells to clean the desk. This is part of your punishment." He went back to reading his book.

Right, he was going to get it this time. He took his shoe off and used it to beat the gel into a stupor first. Damn! It got stuck to his shoe! He tried to peel it off with his hand. Ewwww! It was cold and sticky. What looked like an eye emerged from a stalk in the jelly and stared at him? It started shaking. Hur. Hur. Hur. Was it laughing at him? It was! It was laughing at him! He started shaking his hand violently and it flew from his hand and landed on Snape's book, spattering Snape with mucous.

"POTTER! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!"

"I'm really sorry sir! It got away!"

Snape breathed deeply to try and recover his composure. "This is not working out. You leave now! This is a very expensive book." He looked down at his book and the gel extended an eyestalk and started shaking with mirth. Snape picked up his wand from his desk and pointed it at it when the gel extended a tentacle, wrapped it around the wand and threw it to the other side of the room.

Trying not to laugh, Harry sidled quietly out of the room, picking up his wand on the way out. "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. Sorry, sir."

The last thing he saw before he left was the blob growing legs and scampering out of the room in front of him. Hmmm. It was going left. He decided he would go right.

He ran through the corridors back to the Gryffindor common room. The fat lady was on guard as normal. What was the password? God his memory was getting worse all the time. He was told it yesterday? What was it again? The painting opened and Neville came running out with his hands clutched to his mouth.

"Hi Neville. Bye Neville!" Said Harry as he ran in.

"Password? Password?" She shouted as he ran in.

Harry ignored her and ran into the common room. Where were Ron and Hermione? Oh there they were. Talking to Fred and George. Oh dear.

"Hello Harry," said Fred. "We are trying out some of our new stock." They had a range of what looked sweets on a tray in front of them.

Harry put out a hand and picked up what looked like a marshmallow? Fred paled and snatched it from Harry's hand. "I don't think you want that one again. You tried that out yesterday. Don't you remember? It took Dumbledore three hours to grow your ears back again."

What was he talking about? "I don't remember much about yesterday. Can I try out that one?" He picked up one that looked like a small biscuit.

"You don't want that one either Harry," said George looking at Fred meaningfully. "We gave one to Neville. We don't know exactly what it does but we will ask him when he gets back from the hospital wing. It is something to do with his tongue? He couldn't tell us unfortunately." He shook his head forlornly.

"I think I'll give them a miss."

Hermione was giving him a strange look. "I don't think you have been quite right since Malfoy cast that spell on you yesterday?"

What a load of rubbish. He felt fine. "Hermione, I'm okay. What is happening with this muggle trip then?"

"Tomorrow morning at 9am we are meeting up outside Hogwarts."

* * *

_Harry was running through a wood. The branches seemed to be trying to trip him up. He was running from something. Something that was out of sight. He tripped up over a root and looked up to see sharp teeth._

"Aaaah!" Harry woke up with a shock. He was shaking. It was just a nightmare. He looked around him. There was the quiet snoring and murmuring of his classmates soundly asleep. What was that about? He was used to nightmares. You don't fight against Voldemort and escape unscathed. He had been scarred before both physically and mentally. He closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep. What's the time?

"Lumos," said Harry and looked at his watch. Hmmph. Only ten minutes before 8am. He might as well get up then.

Harry quickly got changed into his gown. He then realised that he was off on his muggle field trip today. He pulled out his case from under his bed and got out his jeans and a t-shirt. It seemed strange to be wearing them again. He normally only wore them when he went to see the Dursley's. He shuddered at the thought. Oh well this should only be for a short while.

Yawning widely Ron got up. "Mornin' Harry. Not like you to be keen?"

"You know what it is like, just woke up early."

After breakfast in the great hall, Harry and Ron walked to outside Hogwarts, all the while talking about the whole pointlessness of it all. Hermione met up with them shortly afterwards and chatted about how much fun it would be.

"I don't get you Hermione?" said Harry. "You're parents are muggles, what is so exciting about going to a muggle town?"

"Harry," Hermione stopped walking. "Do you not understand anything? This is for an exam! Of course it is exciting!"

Neville started running up behind them. "Where are you three going?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Don't you remember Neville, we've got our pointless muggle field trip today."

"What are we going again?"

"What do you mean again?"

"We went yesterday," said Neville looking confused. "Why do we have to go again? We got everything we need. I've got the Paul Daniels magic kit!" He said proudly. He got a box out of his bag, with pictures of lots of tricks. "Look I can make a coin disappear! Give me a coin." The others looked at him blankly. "It's alright I've got one. See it is in my right hand, no it's not it is in my left hand." There was a ting sound as it fell on the floor. "See it's gone!" He opened his hand up proudly.

"Eeermm Neville," said Ron. "You just dropped it on the floor."

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did, it's down there. Can't you see it?"

"I've magicked it away!"

"You dropped it on the floor," agreed Hermione.

"It's meant to be up my sleeve," said Neville. He looked up his capacious sleeve.

"Well you dropped it on the floor," said Harry. "What do you mean we went yesterday?"

"I thought it was clear." Neville was looking in his other sleeve. "Where's that dummy you three brought yesterday?"

"What dummy?"

"That ventriloquist dummy thing you three brought."

"We didn't go anywhere yesterday."

"Look let's just agree to disagree," said Neville. He looked down and his face brightened as he saw the coin. "Why didn't you tell me it fell on the floor? Anyway I've got to go, see you later."

Ron looked as Neville disappeared from sight round the corner. "Nev has gone completely bonkers."

Hermione was looking at him strangely. "Do you think we did go yesterday?"

"How could we have done?" Said Harry. "Look either we are right or Neville is right. Let's face fact's the only way Neville knows a door is in front of him is when he bumps into it. Come on let's go."

It was rather a subdued threesome that went outside Hogwarts. There where they were supposed to meet up was no one. A rather tired looking coke can was in the middle of a patch of grass. Hermione walked up to it and sniffed it.

"What are you smelling?" Said Ron.

"Magical after effects," said Hermione. "This was used as a portkey."

"They did go yesterday," said Ron.

"Correction, we went yesterday," said Hermione. "Why can't we remember it?"

Her watch suddenly started squeaking. "Magical history! You have magical history in ten minutes!"

"Come on! We can talk about this later."

They filed into their lesson and sat down. Hermione sat at the front and Harry and Ron took up their normal places at the back. Professor Bins, the ghostly master of History, was just starting to talk about the Elvin laws of 1665 and why it led indirectly to the dragon wars. This apparently also led to the burning down of London in 1666 but apparently the wizards at the time thought it better to blame a baker in pudding lane than an 80 foot fire breathing lizard.

Harry looked about him. Malfoy and his two cronies were there, also looking bored. Well to be honest Crabbe and Goyle were not looking bored. Considering they had to concentrate just to breathe and walk around they didn't have time to be bored. Malfoy was busy writing on a piece of paper. When professor Bins turned around and started drawing various arrows on the board to show the movements of the various dragon armies he turned around and showed it to Harry. It was a crudely drawn picture of Harry apparently with a dummy on his lap. The dummy was moving around the picture and apparently hitting Harry. Malfoy was smirking. What an idiot.

The lesson ended, about fifty years later in the first international Quidditch finals. Apparently it was a great match as only ten wizards died. This lead to a rule to not hold matches on mountaintops in thunderstorms and only wooden broomsticks are allowed because of that.

The day seemed to drag interminably on. At long last they could leave and headed back to their dormitories.

"Should we tell Dumbledore about this?" asked Hermione.

"What that we can't remember anything?" said Ron. "He'll just think we are trying to get out of our lessons."

They filed into Harry's dormitory. There at the end of his bed was a small wooden puppet. It was dressed in a red top and trousers with black eyes and a painted scar down the side of his wooden face. His mouth contained hundreds of sharp teeth.


	3. Chapter Three

All characters owned by J K Rowling of course

**Chapter Three – Harry Potter**

Harry looked over at Hermione. She had a look of peculiar intensity on her face. If it wasn't such a strange situation he would have found it funny. They had the doll tied up and hanging upside down in a pentagram. Various magical items that they had filched about the school surrounded it. Numerous blood red candles were burning around the room filling the room with a heady scent.

There was something about this that made Harry uneasy. He wasn't sure what it was. "Is this really the best way to find out if it is cursed or not? I mean isn't this dark magic?"

"Harry," said Hermione. "This might not be the best way but it is quick. Now have you all your counter charms ready?"

Hermione had written out a long list of charms and curses in case the doll got out. Harry cast his eyes down the list. Most of them he hadn't heard of but it all looked pretty powerful stuff.

"It doesn't make sense Harry," said Hermione. "Are you sure this is the doll you dreamed about?"

"It's just a stupid doll," said Ron.

"Stupid or not, I saw it in my dream and then we seemed to lose a day?"

Hermione got a small vial out and carefully dropped two drops onto a mixture of Unicorn Hair, extract of Xiufdw and Dragons toe nail clippings that were in a pot in the middle of the pentagram. The mixture fizzled and a small cloud, shaped like a small demon emerged. The smoke flowed into the dolls mouth and the doll's eyes flicked open. The mouth opened and a small tongue flicked out between razor sharp teeth. Its eyes glowed yellow. It looked at them and its eyes narrowed. The chains rattled as it tried vainly to escape.

They all took a step back.

"Why have I been brought here?" A voice hissed from the doll.

"We…" Hermione squeaked. She then coughed to bring her voice under some of control. "We," she started again, "need to know if any magic has been used on that doll. If it is cursed or not?"

"Doll, what doll?" The voice said.

"The doll you are in you moron," said Ron rolling his eyes.

"This _doll_ has not been cursed," the demon said.

"Is it magical?" asked Harry.

"What do you mean by magic?"

Harry looked confused. Magic was magic?

"Earth magic or sky magic?" said Hermione.

The doll grinned. "Neither."

"Is it possessed?" Asked Harry.

"Yes," it hissed.

"See I told you!" said Ron pounding his fist on the table.

Hermione gave him a withering look. "Of course it is. He is in there." She turned back to the doll. "Are there any other demons in there with you?"

"No other demon has possessed this _doll_."

"Thank you," said Hermione.

"Release me," hissed the demon. The doll started straining against its restraints. The pentagram started flaring with light as the magic in it fought against the demon.

Hermione added another drop of liquid to the pot and the demon left the doll. It cackled with laughter and disappeared in a mix of smoke and small electrical discharges and then was sucked back into the pot.

"I hate ruddy demons," said Ron.

Harry nodded in agreement. "Never a straight answer to anything."

"Well maybe it is okay?" Said Hermione dubiously, looking at the doll in a strange way.

"It may be okay but it still looks horrible," said Harry.

Hermione looked at him in the eyes. "I think we should talk to Dumbledore about this."

Harry shook his head and regretted it. His head started to ache. "He'd think we been drinking. What do we tell him? Everyone else has had a day more than we have?"

"It might be you know who!" She insisted.

Harry shook his head. "Voldemort wouldn't appear here in Hogwarts. Not after last time."

Hermione's watch started squeaking. "Lunch time! Lunch time!"

"That watch of yours is asking for an appointment with a hammer," said Ron.

"Come on let's go! We'll take a look at it again after lunch."

Still talking about the doll and the missing time they filed into the great hall. There were three long tables set up. One for Gryffindor, one for Slytherin and one for Hufflepuff. Where was Ravenclaw?

Harry looked about him. People were busy eating. There was a salmon with ginger main course followed by lemon meringue pie. People were just ignoring the space next to them.

Ron started tucking into the salmon with ginger and eating it with ill-disguised gusto. He tapped the table and a small sauce stand waddled over to him. Ron dipped his spoon in and poured it on the fish. Didn't he notice?

"Ron, don't you think it funny that the Ravenclaw table has gone?"

"What's Ravenclaw?" said Ron, in between mouthfuls of fish.

"The other house, Ravenclaw."

Hermione was staring at him curiously. "What are you wittering about Harry?"

"We are missing an entire house here."

"What do you mean? We have the three houses of Hogwarts." Ron counted them off with his sticky hands. "Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Slytherin."

"He's right Harry," nodded Hermione. Using her wand she levitated a piece of lemon meringue pie over to her bowl.

Harry felt very strange. He couldn't be wrong could he? He had been wrong about several things recently. His head started to ache. He drank some more lemonade in the glass in front of him.

His head was really starting to hurt now. He clutched his head with his hands and stared at the table willing the pain to go.

Hermione looked at him worriedly. "If you have a head ache I can make it go away?" Harry didn't say anything just stared at the table trying not to be sick. Hermione tapped him on the head with her wand and said a small incantation.

His head felt like it had been dipped in ice and the headache vanished. That felt better. He held his head curiously, wondering where the headache had gone? Oh well. It had gone that was the important thing. What had he been worrying about?

The gorgeous smell of the fish wafted under his nose and he started tucking in.

After they had finished the meal Harry, Ron and Hermione trooped upstairs to the Gryffindor common room.

"Nihildum seeatium," said Hermione confidently in front of the fat lady.

"Come in children, come in," she said happily. She was busy washing her napkin in the stream in the picture.

They all three walked into the common room. It was a large round room full of squashy armchairs and a fire blazing cheerfully in the grate. The pictures were all of famous Gryffindor seekers. Most of them were empty as they were watching a match in another picture against Slytherin. Judging by the boos and catcalls, Gryffindor were losing.

Inside George was busy trying to sell things to the first years. He had a range of books with rather serious sounding titles like "First Year Potions – An Analytical Analysis of the Variety of Herbological and Faunicological types of Toxic substances in the Leaf of Trifoleum Repens (Clover)". Despite himself Harry was curious. What could be getting the first years interest so much? He walked over to look over the shoulder of what a boy was finding absolutely hysterical. When he looked over his shoulder the page the boy was looking at seemed to blur and a block of very tedious looking text was there. The boy looked put out at this and glared at Harry.

Harry shrugged his shoulders and went over to George. "What's with these books George?"

George looked unbearably smug. "Very nifty spell. It is a comic book but if anyone but the buyer tries to look at it, it reverts to a page of text. Great for having fun in lessons! One galleon to you Harry!"

Harry smiled. Tempting. "Did you and Fred design it then?" He looked around. "Where is Fred?"

George gave a half smile as if he was the butt of a joke but didn't know what it was. "Whose Fred? I designed this myself."

"Your brother Fred?"

"I've only got two brothers, Ron and Percy; may the red tape strangle him."

"Your twin brother," said Harry, feeling this situation was getting slightly surreal.

"I'd love to chat about my family Harry, but I've got galleons to make." George wandered off with a gaggle of first years clamoring around him. He gave Harry a slightly worried shake of his head before getting back to his sales banter.

This was getting very strange. But so were Fred and George. Probably some joke they hadn't explained to him. Harry was feeling tired. Ron and Hermione were sitting by the fire. He walked over and plonked himself down on the chair next to them. Hermione and Ron were having an enthusiastic discussion about Hogwarts history. Well Hermione was enthusiastic. Ron was just saying that the original castle designers should have placed the Slytherin common room in the moat. Hermione was telling him why that couldn't happen.

Harry drifted off…

_He was running through the wood again. It was nighttime and the moon was casting eerie shadows around him. His cloak was getting caught on the brambles and tearing. He was fighting for breath. He had been running for miles. He knew he shouldn't look back but he couldn't stop himself. A cloaked figure was gliding through the wood towards him. He caught his hand on something sharp and looked down. A small figure with razor sharp teeth and a tongue like a snake had bitten his hand…_

Harry woke up with a start. He was covered in sweat and shaking. Ron and Hermione were both looking at him in bemusement.

"I take it you don't agree with my idea of putting the Slytherin table on the moon then?" Said Ron.

"What's wrong with you Harry?" Said Hermione looking both exasperated and concerned at the same time.

"I had that nightmare again."

"The one with the doll?" Said Ron. "What was it doing, taking tea with Barbie?"

"Shush Ron!"

"I'm serious Ron," said Harry, rubbing his head. "Someone else was chasing me through the wood this time."

"Did you recognize them?"

"No, that doll bit my hand." He looked down at his hand. There was a clear imprint of teeth marks on his palm. .


	4. Chapter Four

All characters owned by J K Rowling of course. I would also like it put on record that I do not own any dolls evil or otherwise!

**Chapter Four – Harry Potter**

Hermione looked at his hand in shock. "It must be Voldemort!"

"He who must not be named has come back as a doll?" Said Ron. "What's his plan? Take up home with Action Man and Cindy?"

"I'm serious Ron!" Said Hermione trying to look concerned at Harry and glare at Ron. "We should see Professor Dumbledore right away!"

Harry's head started aching at this. "No!" He said rather more forcefully than he meant to. "No," he said again. He looked down at his hand. The marks were beginning to disappear again.

"We need to talk to someone," said Hermione quietly.

Harry walked up to the mirror in the common room. He looked deathly pale. The mirror looked strangely warped or was it just him? Harry blinked a couple of times. He came back into focus again. He turned around. "I'll be fine, it's just a nightmare. I'm going to bed." He could see in the mirror Ron and Hermione glance at each other. "I'll be fine."

Despite his recent catnap Harry was still feeling tired. Yawning widely Harry climbed into bed and soon dropped off to sleep.

_He was back in the wood this time. This time he had been caught. His hands were tied tightly behind his back and his head was being forced over a bowl. Silvery wisps were whirling in front of him. He could see a reflection of someone else in the surface of the bowl it was…_

He woke up with a start again. Shaking and shivering as before. What was that dream about?

He looked at the chair next to his bed. The doll, still tied up was staring at him. He must be imagining it he thought. Dolls don't stare. Light from the window streamed into the room and Harry, yawning, walked up to the window to look out. It was a beautiful day. Several clouds skidded across the sky and a few winged forms were visible in the distance.

Ron was still asleep. Harry gave him a friendly kick to wake him up while he was putting on his wizard gown. Still rubbing the sleep from their eyes they walked down the stairs. Harry reached into his pocket to get the timetable out. Muggle studies.

"We've got that stupid muggle show to do today," said Ron.

Harry stopped in his tracks. "We haven't prepared anything."

"It'll be easy," said Ron. "We take that doll out say a few poor jokes about the price of fish try and drink and talk at the same time. It always gets a laugh."

Harry was worried about this approach but didn't say anything. It was better than any ideas he had. They walked down the stairs to the Great hall. The vast ceiling was mirroring the sky outside. Today it had a bright blue ceiling with the sun blazing cheerfully in the corner. Puffy white clouds were racing along the heavens. The teachers were sitting on a table on a raised platform at the front of the room. There were only two tables in the room now. One for Slytherin and one for Gryffindor. The teachers' table was about half empty as well. Filius Flitwick the charms teacher was missing as was Rolanda Hooch the flying teacher, Poppy Pomfrey the school nurse was missing and so was Irma Pince the librarian.

Harry grabbed Ron by the arm. "You can't tell me you don't notice anything wrong here?"

"What do you mean?" Said Ron, annoyed at being stopped before the table.

"There are only two house tables here. Half the teachers are missing."

Dumbledore was sitting in his normal place in the centre of the teachers' table. He gave Harry a genial nod. Harry ignored him.

Ron looked at Harry with a perplexed look. "Hogwarts only has two houses Harry. Gryffindor and Slytherin. Talk to Little Miss Know it All if you don't believe me?"

Hermione came marching over to them. "Come on you two! The sooner we eat the sooner we can get to lessons!"

Ron and Harry exchanged a glance at this. Ron spoke. "How many houses are there in Hogwarts Hermione?"

Hermione straightened herself up. This was one of her favourite subjects. "Well in the History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshott it mentions the two houses of Hogwarts. Hogwarts a History is generally thought of as being the definitive guide though and it states that the Gryffindor house was founded by Godric Gryffindor in …"

"Yes, yes," said Ron, eager to stop this diatribe. "I think we have established that. Come on let's eat!"

They sat down, Hermione sitting opposite him, and plates of bacon, sausage, black pudding, mushrooms and tomatoes magically appeared in front of them. Harry pushed the food around the plate thinking. This was not right, not right at all.

Hermione glanced over at him. "Are you all right Harry, you look kind of peaky?"

Peaky what the hell is peaky when it is at home, thought Harry. "Well apart from half of Hogwarts disappearing and no-one taking a blind bit of notice, I'm fine thank you."

Ron looked over at this. He dabbed some ketchup at the corner of his mouth with some bread. "What do you mean 'half of Hogwarts?'"

"Don't you think it a bit strange? We are sitting in half of this hall. There is enough space for a quidditch match in the rest of this place." He threw his arms out nearly hitting Neville Longbottom and sending his mug of tea onto the floor with a crash.

"Calm down Harry," said Hermione. She gave a little half smile. "Why don't you talk to Dumbledore about this?"

His head started aching at this suggestion. Why is that he thought? It would be so easy. Just walk up the hall to Dumbledore and talk to him. Dumbledore was sitting at the teachers' table holding an energetic conversation with McGonagall about the proper way to greet a Manticore, a vicious beast with a scorpion's tail, lion's body and a head like a human. Dumbledore was saying you had to bow and shake it by the tail, McGonagall was saying you had to run away.

His head was really aching at the thought. Just talk to Dumbledore. That's all. He'll sort it out. He always does.

Harry frowned at this. Dumbledore never sorts it out. He always leaves Harry to sort it out. He turns up at the end with a genial smile and a perplexed grin. If he was in the X-files he would be the like the smoker. "You've never been so close, keep going. The government are aliens." Knowing so much and telling so little. He'd be damned before he goes crawling to Dumbledore. At this thought his headache started to ease.

"No," he said and looked back down at his plate.

Hermione's mouth pursed shut at this. She was annoyed. Well who cares, thought Harry. He started eating his breakfast. It was cold now because he had pushed it about the plate for so long. He could warm it up with a quick incendio spell, or though that might just as easily burn it, but he couldn't be bothered. Ron and Hermione were whispering to each other. He could hear the words "Hospital wing" being mentioned. He frowned at this and then brightened. Madam Pomfrey the school nurse wasn't at the table with the teachers where she normally was. Even her chair had disappeared.

"You think I might need to visit the hospital wing do you?"

Hermione looked at him intently. "Only for your own good Harry."

Harry looked at the teachers' table with all the empty seats and then back at Hermione. "Who looks after the hospital wing?"

"Why it's Madam Pom…" she coloured. Looked at the teachers table and the empty seat looked back at Harry. "Just talk to Dumbledore."

Harry went white. "You know don't you." He said. He stood up. "You know what is going on?"

Hermione stood up as well. "Just calm down Harry. You're not well."

"Why do you want me to talk to Dumbledore? What the hell is going on?"

Other Gryffindor's were looking up at this noise. Harry could hear laughing coming from the Slytherin table but he didn't care. Hermione started backing away. Harry stood up on the chair and climbed onto the table. Hermione backed away some more. "Just sit down Harry. Finish your breakfast. We've got lessons soon. You don't want to lose any house points do you?"

Harry jumped down the other side of the table, knocking over several plates. The ketchup bowl tried to waddle out of his way but wasn't fast enough and Harry kicked it off the table in fury. It went flying across the room and went splat against a Slytherin flag. "Who the hell are you? What is going on?" Shouted Harry.

"Mr Potter explain yourself!" yelled Professor McGonagall from the teachers' table.

Harry pointed at Hermione. "This is between me and her…" he pointed at Hermione.

"If you could kindly keep your childish squabbles off school property Mr Potter."

Harry stood on the table again. "Doesn't anyone notice anything wrong here?"

Professor McGonagall toned. "20 points from Gryffindor. Get off the table Mr Potter or you will be in detention."

Harry ignored her. "We are missing two houses here! Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw and all their teachers!"

At this remark the tables of Gryffindor and Slytherin started whispering loudly to each other. Harry heard the odd comment. "Really lost it this time." "That scar must have affected his brain." "If he's finished eating breakfast I'll eat his bacon."Harry looked over at Hermione. She was looking at him with a look of pure triumph on her face. Ron was just looking shocked and trying surreptitiously to finish Harry's breakfast. "She knows!" He pointed at Hermione. "She knows and she's not telling!"

"Mr Potter I will not tell you again. Sit down and carry on with your breakfast or you will be in detention."

Harry looked over at Professor McGonagall. "Screw you. Screw this whole dump. Something is going on and nobody is telling me."

"One hundred points from Gryffindor and you will kindly refrain…"

Harry didn't the rest of this. He ran out of the Great Hall. He didn't know where he was going or why but he knew he had to get out of here. He ran up the stairs to the Gryffindor room shouting the password at the fat lady as he went.

Sweating slightly from the exertion he ran into his room to pick up his wand. He was getting out of here, he thought. He looked at the chair. The doll was gone. The door to his dormitory was slammed shut and there his yellow eyes' gleaming was the doll.

The doll was blocking the way out of his dormitory. All thoughts of what was happening in Hogwarts left Harry and he concentrated on the battle in hand. Where was his wand? He looked at the doll. It was holding his wand in its hand. He needed that wand. He needed it badly.

All thoughts of self-preservation left Harry and he leapt at the doll. The doll, although it was only about two foot tall was stronger than it looked and threw Harry to the end of the room. Harry landed with a thud on a chest of drawers. His breath was knocked out of him and only his magical inheritance saved him from serious harm. He got to his feet and pushed his glasses back on his nose. Where the hell had it gone? He looked down and could see the doll grinning up at him. It's mouth full of sharp incisors. Harry grabbed his wand back. At the same time the doll grabbed him by the leg and threw him out of the window of the 7th storey tower.


	5. Chapter Five

All characters owned by J K Rowling of course. I would like to thank cmar for beta reading this chapter.

**Chapter Five – Harry Potter**

Harry was falling to the ground fast. The wind was whistling past his eyes, and threatening to pull his glasses from his face.

He pointed his wand and shouted. "Adagio broom!"

Just before he would have crashed, with terminal consequences, his broom raced beneath him and he soared into the air.

He struggled to get his breath. What now? What could he do? What was going on? All these questions and more raced through his mind.

He wanted to see his friends again, but he didn't know if they were his friends anymore. He wanted to talk to Dumbledore, but something deep inside him was telling him "No." If fact it wasn't telling him it was screaming it at him. He closed his eyes for a moment and nearly fell off the broom in shock. When he closed his eyes he saw a misty white form in front of them.

What was that? What was going on? Who would have the answers? Who could he trust? He landed his broom just outside the school, and looked towards the wood. He could see a pair of yellow eyes gleaming at him. A silvery object went whistling towards him. More in shock than anything he blocked it with his broom. His broom fell to pieces. In the middle of it, in a smoking hole, was a knife. As he watched the knife fell to pieces.

He blinked back tears. He couldn't allow himself to get sentimental over his trusty broom. He drew his wand and stalked towards the wood. The yellow eyes started to disappear, and he could see a small form running away from him.

He ran through the wood. The roots and branches threatening to trip him up. He looked behind him. There was a tall, dark cloaked figure behind him. It seemed to float threateningly towards him. No! This was like his dream. He would not run from it this time.

He got his wand and aimed a spell at the apparition.

The spell travelled harmlessly through the ghost. He fired off another then a cold feeling swept through him and his reality changed...

He opened his eyes. For the first time he opened his eyes.

Below him he could see a pensieve. His thoughts were being dragged out of his mind by a wand. He looked up to see a white face with red eyes and a nose like a slits.

"So you are stronger than I thought," hissed Voldemort.

"What the hell is happening where am I?" Harry looked around him. He could see twenty to thirty death eaters in the black-cowled cloaks. There was a laughing sound at this.

"I have been extracting your mind thought by thought. I need to know where I failed last time and how I can succeed this time. If you had only talked to Dumbledore I would now know."

"None of that was real?"

"It was an illusion caused by me dragging your worthless thoughts out of your mind a frond at a time."

Harry struggled against the person holding him but he was too strong. "How long have I been here for?"

"Only five minutes but to your mind it would seem like weeks. I created the world inside your mind to try to get the information I desire. You are in the Forbidden Forest outside Hogwarts." His voice changed. "Oh help me Harry! Help me!" He said in Hermione's voice. "You were easy to entice out here. Before I kill you, I must know how you defeated me before boy and what the prophecy is?"

"I'll never tell you!" Shouted Harry sounding braver than he felt. There was a swishing sound around him, as the circle of death-eaters got closer.

There was a long, long silence. Harry looked at the imperturbable face of Voldemort. His red eyes narrowed.

"So be it," he hissed. He drew his wand and pointed it at Harry's face. "Your death will be a monument to my mastery. The manner of your death will be whispered about in shock for hundreds of years after this moment."

Harry's stomach felt like it had turned to liquid. He tried to struggle against his unseen captors but couldn't. He could see sparks begin to form around Voldemort's wand.

A voice suddenly rang out. "Tom Marvalo Riddle."

Voldemort span around at Dumbledore's voice and Harry saw a way out. He kicked his captor on the knee, which meant the death eater who had hold of him loosened his grip. He elbowed the death-eater in the throat and leapt at Voldemort with a cry. He didn't have a wand but he grabbed Voldemort's wand hand and pointed it at Voldemort's head. The spell that had been gathering its energies erupted over Voldemort.

There was a high pitched screaming and Voldemort fell back into the pensieve, his face already blistering and smoking as the spell hit it. Harry looked around him. Dumbledore and some of the other Hogwarts teachers were fighting against the death-eaters. It was very one sided. The shock at seeing their master fall into the pensieve and Dumbledore's powers meant that they barely had a chance to raise a wand hand before they were stunned and tied up. A few apparated out but most of them were caught.

Harry's knees gave way and he collapsed on the ground in front of the pensieve. He picked up his wand in front of him and put it in his pocket. Suddenly the memories of what happened came back to him. He was just walking back to Hogwarts after a late Quidditch training day when he had heard Hermione's voice coming from the Forbidden Forest. It was stupid but he was tired and not thinking straight. He walked into the Forbidden Forest. Hermione's voice always sounding further and further away until he had walked straight into a circle of death-eaters and Voldemort himself. Voldemort tried to extract the information from him about his previous defeats. He cast Harry into an alternative reality and extracted all his thoughts into the Pensieve. He looked up and could see a stream of thoughts flowing out of the pensieve and back into his head. The doll was Voldemort's form in the alternative reality.

Dumbledore walked up to Harry.

"How did you know where I was?"

"I have several detection charms placed around the Forest. Voldemort triggered them off and so did you."

"Is he really dead?" Asked Harry pointing at the body of Voldemort sticking out of the pensieve.

"That is another question entirely. You can not kill what does not truly live."

Harry walked back to Hogwarts still in a daze. Just how much had been real and how much had been an illusion. He had no real way of knowing.

Around him was the swishing sound of aurors apparating in. He was still in shock and he started to shake, as the adrenaline in his system had nowhere to go. He looked behind him, Dumbledore was organising the other wizards. He was suddenly alone. He wanted to speak to the Hermione and Ron. He needed to find out how much of the past two weeks had been real and how much hadn't. He walked towards Hogwarts a hundred thoughts racing through his head. Students were starting to run out of the castle towards the edge of the Forest. Harry walked past them in a daze.

"Harry! Harry!" He heard a girls voice shout.

He turned around and looked at Hermione. "Hermione!"

"Harry! Thank god you are well. We have been so worried! What have you…"

Harry raised a hand to silence the stream of words.

"I have just met a very nasty version of you," said Harry looking at her. Her eyes widened at this. "Tell me how many demons have you summoned recently?"

"Demons! That's dark magic I would never do magic outside the curriculum!"

"Thank you Hermione, that's all I wanted to know." He breathed a sigh of relief. At least she was sounding normal.

"Harry mate, where they hell have you been?" Said Ron punching him non-too gently on the arm.

"Ron. Quick question. How many houses are in Hogwarts and what are they called?"

"You've gone mad mate."

"Just answer the question."

"Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slugerin, sorry Slytherin. If you want to know anything more about them, talk to history girl." He pointed to Hermione.

Harry hugged him with pleasure. "Good to see you again, Ron."

Ron pushed him away. "You've gone weird mate. I only saw you an hour ago?"

Harry smiled. "Not to me you didn't."

Hermione grabbed Harry's hand. "Come on Harry. You look like you need some food and some rest."

They walked through the grounds of Hogwarts towards the castle chatting all the while. For the first time in a long time Harry started relaxing. He answered the questions as well as he could with Ron and Hermione, although some of it was difficult because he didn't know all the answers.

Several times tied up death eaters were carried past them. Harry felt a chill. Dementor's were starting to turn up in the grounds, floating ragged cloaks. He could feel them start to try and suck his feelings from him. Several lecturers created the patronus charm to get them to keep their distance. Harry got his wand from his pocket but he didn't need to use a spell.

They walked into the castle. Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey bustled past them. "Harry! Harry! Thank Merlin you are still safe."

"Come on Harry," said Madam Pomfrey grabbing his elbow. "He needs to go to the hospital wing to be checked out."

"I feel fine," said Harry shaking off her grasp.

"I think you should see her?" said Dumbledore looking concerned.

"Honestly, I'm fine," said Harry.

"Come on then Harry," said Dumbledore, "you can tell me all about it up in my office with some marshmallows and hot chocolate."

Harry followed Dumbledore. He was too be honest starting to feel rather tired. Ron and Hermione trailed him quietly. Dumbledore stopped at a gargoyle and whispered the passcode to it. "Jelly babies." The gargoyle stepped out of the way and revealed a door leading to a staircase. They all climbed up it to the top.

It was a large and beautiful circular room, full of strange little sounds and curious scents. A number of peculiar silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. Some of the smoke took the shape of small winged dragons that flew around the room before disappearing. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames. When they walked in some there was some gentle coughing and one younger headmaster ran around the room and elbowed some of the older ones awake. There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tattered wizard's hat -- the Sorting Hat.

Harry, Hermione and Ron sat down on some large comfy chairs. Dumbledore gave them all huge mugs of hot chocolate that they started eagerly gulping down.

"So Harry," said Dumbledore with a twinkle in his eye, "what did Tom Riddle want with you then?"

"Let him finish his marshmallows!" Said one elderly headmaster in his picture. There was a coughing and shuffling sound from the other pictures as they put on glasses and in once case raised an old brass hearing horn to his ear.

Harry was feeling warm and comfortable, the hot chocolate and his ordeal was making him feel tired. "He wanted to know how he was defeated before and what the prophecy was."

Dumbledore seemed to perk up slightly at this. "And you told him?"

"No."

He seemed to be rather relieved at this.

"What prophesy, what is it all about?" Said Ron.

Harry sighed and started speaking. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ..."

Dumbledore started laughing. "That is all it is?" His laugh started getting higher pitched and his voice deepened. "That is what the dark lord has been fearing for so long. All he has to do is kill you?" Dumbledore appeared to change in front of him. The room around him turned misty and disappeared and the paintings and furniture warped and changed. Harry looked around him in shock as Ron and Hermione started grinning widely and changed to two cloaked and masked death eaters. In front of him he could see a pensieve again. He looked around him. Death eaters surrounded him and surrounding them was a circle of floating dementor's and the huge shadows in the distance had to be giants. There was a distant cracking and crashing sound as the giants made the clearing bigger. Where Dumbledore had been standing was the dark lord himself. Voldemort.


	6. Chapter Six

All characters owned by J K Rowling of course.

I would like to thank Cmar for beta-reading this chapter and the previous few chapters and all the reviewers. They are all greatly appreciated. All reviews welcome.

**Chapter Six – Harry Potter**

"Harry Potter," he hissed in Harry's ear. The circle of Death Eaters edged closer, to try and catch what he was saying. "All I have to do is kill you? Just kill a child? That would be too easy."

Voldemort raised his voice. "This is the boy who made you doubt me. Who halted my rise to power." He pointed his wand at Harry. "Crucio!" Harry felt like every nerve had been bathed in fire, and he fell to the ground in front of the pensieve in pain. Tears came to his eyes as he tried to stop screaming. Just as suddenly as it started it stopped.

"The boy will aid me in my quest."

"I'll never help you," grimaced Harry in pain.

"Oh I didn't say you would help me willingly. Imperio…"

Harry felt his mind empty of all thoughts as the spell took hold.

"Walk towards me Harry."

Harry felt his legs move. They were no longer under his control. _No._ Just walk towards him. That is what you want to do isn't it? _No. _It's what I want to do. Not him. This is my choice. _No it isn't. Fight it! _Fight what? I want to walk towards Voldemort, this is my choice, not his. His legs started to buckle under the pressure. _Stop! This is not what I want to do!_ He collapsed on the floor, his face a mask of sweat.

Voldemort gave a cold mirthless smile. "So you can control the Imperio curse, can you? That is more than most of your kind. Imperio Regus." Voldemort hissed and pointed his wand at Harry. A thin purple snake leapt from the end of the wand and slithered on the ground towards Harry.

Harry could not move a muscle and watched in horror as the snake slithered up his body and into his mouth. There was a final hissing sound, and Harry's mind went totally blank.

Harry stood up and smiled at Voldemort.

"Harry Potter," said Voldemort. "I am going to give you a little job to do."

"My Lord?"

"I want you to kill Dumbledore."

Harry grinned. "It would be a pleasure, my Lord."

Harry turned around and started to walk away. A gap opened up in the circle of Death Eaters and Harry started to walk through.

"Potter?"

Harry turned around. "My Lord?"

Voldemort threw a small object towards Harry. Harry raised a hand and caught the small vial. "What is this?"

"Poison. Very non-magical but Dumbledore is impervious to most forms of magic. Fortunately even great wizards can suffer physical death. All you have to do is get close enough to him when he is eating or drinking to put in a couple of drops of that. You can do this, can't you, Potter?"

Harry looked down at the vial.

"You can kill the great Dumbledore, can't you?"

Harry felt a great happiness. "I would love to." He put the vial in his right pocket and walked out of the ring of Death Eaters. He looked above him and could see the wraith like shapes of Dementors. A pair of giants, both over 30 feet tall lumbered out of his way. Their skin was like granite and their clothes were elephant skins. Harry could smell the reek of old sweat and dead animals as he walked past and nearly gagged. Despite all of this he was feeling happy. Happier than he had felt in a long time. He had a purpose now, he knew why he was here and doing the task would make him even happier, he knew it.

Not even the deathly scowl of a Dementor that glided past him could make him feel any worse.

An hour later Harry walked out of the Forbidden Forest. He could see Severus Snape and McGonagall talking with each other. Snape was being unusually animated and pointing his wand at the forest. When Harry walked out of the forest they ran towards him.

"Where have you been, Mr Potter?" said Minerva McGonagall. She pushed her square glasses back up her nose with a long finger and glared at him.

Harry smiled at her. "Just been out for a walk."

"Don't worry about questioning Potter, Minerva," said Snape, stepping in front of Harry. "He never cares for anyone but himself."

_Snape…_

"Do you realise how worried we have all been for you?"

Harry continued smiling at her.

"Potter, the woods are swarming with all manner of evil creatures and Death Eaters and you just walk out of them with not a care?"

Harry looked about him. They were still outside the anti-apparation zone that surrounded Hogwarts. There were several pops and aurors started to appear around him. These wizards were old and scarred and wearing battle torn robes made of chain mail. Harry looked up and one of the aurors approached him.

"Brody Bjorkland, mage leader of the Auror second Wingate battalion," he said. "What's going on here, Professor? Why have we been summoned? Has Potter disappeared?" He looked down at Harry and grimaced. "You must be Potter? Where have you been? Do you know what the call out charge is for false alarms?

The popping sound of apparating wizards continued for several minutes.

Snape curled one lip back and pointed at Harry. "Talk to Potter about that! He knew the Dark Lord has been gathering his forces and he still goes for walks by himself."

Brody walked up to Harry. He was a full foot and a half taller than Harry. Two of his front teeth had been replaced by canine incisors. Crude stitches lined his neck. Wherever or whenever he had been hurt he must have been a long way from magical aid. On his back was a huge glittering sword in a bejewelled scabbard. Two long knives were in his belt and he had several globes attached to his cross belt. When Harry looked at them he could see a strange multicoloured mist in them.

_Bjorkland! Too many Death Eaters have fallen by his hand._ Hissed a voice in Harry's mind. _Tell the battered fool you went for a walk. Tell them you saw some Death Eaters in the wood. I want to deal with that scum personally…_

"What's going on here Potter?"

"I went for a walk. I needed to clear my head; by the way the woods are swarming with Death Eaters."

"Death eaters!" said Bjorkland. "How many, what location?"

Harry waved at the wood in a general way. "Lots of them. I was too busy running to count them."

Bjorkland walked to the edge of the wood and summoned two of his colleagues by his side.

"Don't you realise the worry you have caused?" said McGonagall to Harry.

_Ignore the old hag._ Harry stared at her blankly.

Snape turned to McGonagall. "I told you Minerva, Potter cares for no-one but himself."

"Where have you been, Harry, we have all been worried sick."

"How long have I been away for?"

"About three hours."

"I was stressed, I needed a walk. I've got my exams soon. I was worried."

"The wood is swarming with Death Eaters and you walk out without a scratch…" said Snape.

"I ran away from them," said Harry and matched Snape's stare with his own. _Tell them you are tired. Tell them you are going back to the school_. "I'm tired; I've had a long day. I'm going back to the school."

Brody, along with two other aurors, got his wand out. "Arkday Eekersay." They growled. A white form left his wand, divided into a dozen small forms, and leapt into the wood in twelve directions. Harry was still watching this in surprise. A voice echoed in his head. _Walk towards the school, boy. Ignore what is happening. They are seeking me out._ Harry turned around and walked towards the school.

There was a high pitched whistling sound behind him; he turned around and could see one of the misty spells return to Brody. It was a purplish colour. The wizard said "Owshay emay." And a vision appeared in front of Brody of a huge circle of Death Eaters, giants and Dementors. There in the centre was nothing…

_Keep walking._

Harry carried on walking towards the castle. He turned around again. He could see the aurors get on racing brooms and fly into the forest at incredible speed.

_Keep walking._

He turned around and walked up the gravel path the stones crunching beneath his feet. He still felt happy. What about you my Lord, he thought. Are you safe?

_We have retreated to a safe location. The giants are staying to kill the aurors._

Behind him he could hear explosions. Flashes of light showed Hogwarts in sharp relief and he could the faint sound of screams and roars as the giants fought the aurors.

_Keep going, boy._

Harry carried on walking towards the school. What if they suspect? What if they ask where I've been again? _Just say what I say._ Right my Lord, he thought.

He walked into the entrance hall of Hogwarts. Some of the students were gathering around, looking worried. When he walked in he saw Hermione and Ron. They ran over towards him.

"What's been going on? Where have you been?"

_Nosey tart. Tell her to stick her overlong nasal implement out of your business._

"Nosey tart. Stick your overlong nasal implement…"

_No!_ hissed the voice of Voldemort. _I've got to get the hang of this improved Imperio curse. Just tell her to go away… Politely! We are not trying to attract attention!_

Hermione was looking at him, shocked. Ron was looking at him with an impressed look.

"Sorry Hermione, I've had a trying day. What are you all doing round here?"

"We heard about the excitement, mate! What's going on out there?" Ron tried to walk to the door but a prefect pushed him back.

_Tell him it's a garden show, a fete, a meeting of giraffes. Anything! Just get out of there!_

"It's a meeting of giraffes."

_NO! Use your imagination for Sauron's sake! Don't just repeat everything I say._

"NO! Use your imagination for Sauron's sake! Don't repeat…"

_SHUT UP! SHUT UP! I hate using new spells they always have little glitches in them that only show when you start using them. I knew I should have tried it on Lucius Malfoy first. Where is that toad anyway?_

"Are you feeling alright Harry?"

_Fine._

"Fine."

_I've been out for a walk. The aurors are hunting Death Eaters. Where is our next lesson?_

"I've been out for a walk. The aurors are hunting Death Eaters. Where is our next lesson?"

"Professor Sprout with Herbology! Come on Harry. You look like death at the moment. Are you okay?"

_Fine. Let's go._

"Fine. Let's go."

"You first, Harry," said Ron. "I wanna talk about Quidditch."

_Not that dull wizarding sport. With the power that bunch of dullards wield they could have taken over the world if it wasn't all spent chasing a pointless ball about. DON'T REPEAT THAT!_

"Well, are you walking or just standing there?" said Hermione.

_Oh no, Herbology. It's been so long since I've been at Hogwarts. I bet they've changed where it is. Walk forward this way. They haven't painted the corridors, I see. I think it is left here. Aren't the chairs small for the first years? They didn't seem like that when I was here. How time flies. Let's go through this door. Oops! That is the art class. They never had that when I was here. Ah, a still life model, let's see what Beauty they are using? Arrgh! Filch! The caretaker! That is a horrible sight. Right back out quickly. Remind me to cast an Obliviate spell on my mind to remove that from there forever; either that or gouge out my eyes. I'll have nightmares tonight. We'll try a right turn. Oh joy! Moving staircases. Haven't Health and Safety closed them down yet? Remind me to send a letter to the Muggle school inspectors. If I can't kill Dumbedore I'll at least get the school closed down. Let's follow that pupil about. He looks like he's holding a plant. Let me think. Herbology. Probably in those run-down green houses they have round the sides. Right, we're there I think. First left, second right. Walk down this corridor. Ignore Ron's prattling, just say "hmm" and "yes" occasionally. Good, we're there._

Harry walked into the classroom and sat down next to Ron and Hermione. The peculiar aroma of dragon dung compost permeated the very air in the green house. They were sitting in front of a small tray full of compost and a strange looking cactus. The smell was starting to build up. Professor Sprout bustled into the room.

_Not Pomona Sprout, she was here when I was here. I hate herbology. I gave it up in my second year, thank Sauron._

"Right class," said Professor Sprout. "Today we will be dealing with a mimbulous Mimbletonia."

Harry looked closer at the cactus. In place of its spines were pustules.

_Great. Fourth year herbology. Brilliant. I gave up this subject in my second year. Why couldn't it have been a dark arts lesson? I'm a master at that, but no, it has to be stupid herbology._

She looked over at Harry and smiled. "Harry I'd like you to demonstrate to the rest of the class how you safely remove a pustule from this cactus."

_Okay, we'll try a spell. Raise your wand._

"No spells, Mr Potter! I want you to use your gardening implements."

_I want you to use your gardening implements, _Voldemort mimicked._ I'd like to stick this fork in her eye! No Harry! That was not an order! Put the fork down! Good boy. Well done. Stupid Potter. Right. This is not my field at all. Okay, get those pruning shears. Right, that's it, approach the cactus carefully. Grab that pustule with one hand and be ready to… You idiot!_

"Mr Potter, what have you done!"

Harry looked at his hand. It was swiftly swelling up with the effects of the stinksap. His fingers looked like bananas and his hand was expanding rapidly.

_You stupid boy!_

Professor Sprout pointed her wand at Harry's hand and it started to shrink down to normal size again. "Have you learnt nothing from my lessons? Wear the gloves. Wear the protective goggles. And for Merlin's sake, don't cut plants if you don't know what they do."

_And for Merlin's sake don't cut plants if you don't know what they do. I'd like to cut her. When I take over this place we'll be getting rid of a few things and the first thing will be her head. Okay, Potter. Sit down and stay quiet._

Harry managed to finish the rest of the lesson with the minimum of fuss. Hermione was starting to give him a strange look. Ron just thought it was great that his hand had expanded like that. He was trying to get some stinksap to give to George and Fred for some of their practical jokes.

_School is as bad as I remembered. Come on Potter, stand up. That bell means time to go. How to get you to see Dumb and Dumbledore? There has to be a way… What's the next lesson? Ask I'm so clever my name's Hermione Granger. Mmm! Mmm! Mmm! _For some strange reason Harry started swaying his hips. Voldemort stopped this when he realised what was happening. _Must be nice. Must be nice._

"Hermione, where are we off to next?"

"What's with you today Harry? Did you hit your head when you went for your walk in the woods?"

_Ask a straight question and all you get is abuse. Right, say this…_

"Listen Hermy. I'm the man. I'm great. I'm Harry "scarface" Potter, I've faced more danger than you've had haircuts. Just tell me what lesson is next before I make you uglier than your Mother did!"

_Swish!_

"Okay Harry, no need to get uppity. It is Defence against the Dark Arts."

_I'm the man! I'm the man! Right, still need to get close to Dumbledork at some stage though. Must think about this. Keep walking, Potter! Don't stand there like a diseased tree stump. Do I have to do everything for you? Oh yes. I do. Stupid spell. I hate micro management. Defence against the Dark Arts will be a killer subject…_


	7. Chapter Seven

All characters owned by J K Rowling of course.

I would like to thank Cmar for beta-reading this chapter and the previous few chapters and all the reviewers. They are all greatly appreciated. All reviews welcome.

**Chapter Seven – Harry Potter**

For once Hogwarts had a decent Defence against the Dark Arts teacher that was neither a werewolf or a Death Eater. Corazon Shapira was a short dumpy teacher who looked like a friendly primary school teacher. The type of woman who was always in front of you in the shop paying for goods with all the change and tokens she could and holding up the queue by talking to the cashier about her dahlias and daffodils. This was a clever façade and many a Death Eater had gone to Azkaban because they had underestimated her. She swept her brown curly hair from her eyes and beamed at her pupils.

"Morning class!"

"Good morning, Professor Shapira," the class said cheerfully.

_Shapira thinks she's so clever._

"Right, class, today we are dealing with cursed items."

_Woop de doo._

She pointed behind her. "Do you know what this is?" She pointed at a candelabrum with three red candles on it.

_I know! I know! Ooh! Ask me! Ask me!_

Harry put his hand up. "I know! I know!"

Shapira smiled at Harry in surprise. "Gosh, I'll be impressed if you get this."

"It's a so-called vampire candle."

"Why's it called that?" said Shapira curiously.

"It drains the blood of its victims if you light the candle. The candleholder is cursed. If you light it, it warms the creature up sufficiently to cease being dormant and then strikes. The wax is in fact dried blood that it feeds on during its dormant stage."

The others looked at Harry curiously.

_I'm the man! I'm the man! I'm behaving very curiously. I hope these teenage hormones aren't catching?_

"Well done, Harry. Impressive. Ten points to Gryffindor."

_But I'm Slytherin! That's so unfair!_

"Okay, class. Our next task will be to deal with a dark creature. Follow me, class."

_I know how to deal with a dark creature. Offer it power and riches and all the muggles it can eat._

They walked out of the class to outside the castle. There was Rubeus Hagrid standing outside a huge cage. The cage was covered in a thick, grey, and above all battered blanket. The cage shook as the creature inside it flew against the bars. A strange ominous growling emerged when they walked out.

"Hello Rubeus," said Shapira. "Thanks for the help with this one. Has he given you much trouble?"

"Not too much," said Hagrid, sucking on his hand and two long scratches running down it.

She grabbed one end of the blanket and pulled the sheet off the cage. "Does anyone know what this is?"

Inside the cage was a huge lizard with two wings and two back legs. It had two evil looking black eyes and rows of sharp teeth. It tried to scratch Shapira with its back legs but she stepped smartly back.

"It's a dragon," said Draco Malfoy in a bored tone.

"No it isn't," said Shapira. "Five points from Slytherin for not using their eyes."

_Five points from Slytherin! The old hag! I'll tell them what it is._

Harry raised his hand. "It's a Wyvern. You can tell by the fact it has no front legs but it has wings. This one is a female and it looks like, judging by the meta dorsal fins and the fact its ears don't fold back, to be one of the High Atlas Wyverns of Africa. Very rare and difficult to get hold of. I thought their export into England was illegal due to their murderous nature and impermeability to most of the killing curses."

Hagrid went red at this and suddenly found his boot of extreme interest.

"My, my, Harry, you have been reading up on this. Another ten points to Gryffindor."

_NO! Why do you hate me so much, God?_

"Harry, why are you head-butting the cage?"

_No reason, you stupid woman._

"Right, bonus points if you tell me what spell is best against the Wyvern?"

_Not telling. Not saying this time. I'm not getting any more points for Gryffindor._

"I think I know," said Malfoy.

_Yes! Go Malfoy! Go Malfoy!_

"Edray eyeway. The conjuctivitus curse. It blinds the creature," Malfoy smirked and looked rather happy with himself.

_Rookie mistake! You idiot! I knew Lucius "Smug git" Malfoy was a bad teacher. Did he teach his son nothing?_

Malfoy started choking.

"Mr Potter, kindly stop strangling Malfoy."

"But he's an idiot!"

"That's as may be, but you can not strangle sense into him. Five points from Gryffindor for disrupting my lessons…"

"YES!" said Harry and punched the air.

"Ten points from Slytherin for speaking without knowing."

"NO!" said Harry, and punched Malfoy non-too gently on the arm. "The spell is Eezefray Ingway. It freezes the wings together, meaning it cannot move. It is a variant of Tetrifucus Totalus, you fool." At that he slapped Malfoy on the head.

"Twenty points to Gryffindor. I must admit you are displaying an amazing knowledge of dark magic and dark creatures. You've obviously been reading up. Well done. Please Harry, stand up, stop punching the ground and grinding your teeth."

_Must control myself. What is up with me? Damn these hormones. What is Hermione looking at me for? I didn't realise she was so attractive. She has some figure, wow I could get lost in those eyes, although fair enough her teeth are a good landmark._

"Are you okay, Harry? You're acting very strangely?"

"I'mway inefay Ermionehay."

_By Sauron's beard! I've forgotten how to speak!_

Hermione looked at Harry curiously and pushed her curly hair back from one eye. "Pardon?"

"Illway ouyay opstay ookinglay atway emay easeplay!"

_She's only a girl? Why can't I talk to her? Stop picking at your nose Harry! What is it with teenagers? Right, let's walk away quickly to the other side of the cage so she can't see you._

Ron walked up to him. "Are you okay, Harry?"

"Why does everyone ask me that? I'm fine, you red haired freak."

"Okay, no need to bite my head off."

"Don't give me ideas." _Don't get too close to the cage. _"OUCH!" Harry leapt back as a razor-sharp claw caught the back of his trousers and cut his leg. "You overgrown lizard! You will feel the wrath of Voldemort!"

The others looked at him curiously.

"I mean Harry Potter!"

_Wrath of Harry Potter! Why that sounds so scary! You see how many books they write about you in ten years time. Voldemort is a name for the ages._

Harry stayed at the back of the lesson for the next hour, muttering to himself. It finished, and not a moment too soon for Harry. He walked back to the school in front of the others, trying not to talk to anyone else. Hermione bustled past him in a hurry to get to the next class.

"Come on, Harry. I didn't realise you knew so much about the Dark Arts."

"Yo Hermy, why you always baggin on me?"

_What in the seven steamy fiery hells of Nonsuiojhz does that mean?_

Hermione pulled up short and grabbed Harry by the sleeve. "Pardon?"

"Let's check out that bang at Goyle's crib tonight, my ho."

_I'm talking in teenage speak! A curse on these fiery hormones!_

"I am not your," Hermione shuddered, "ho. Thank Merlin."

_Control yourself._

"You are bootylicious; let's bounce and light some trees, my hoochie."

_What am I talking about? I don't even know what I'm saying? I will not indulge in teen speak._

"You are not yourself today, Harry."

_You got that right, biatch. No wait. I am Voldemort! I am the most powerful wizard in a hundred, no, a thousand generations! I am the only one capable of bringing all the disparate wizarding nations of the world together. I have conquered giants, demigods, demons, even Death itself; I can control a spotty teenager!_

Harry stopped, grabbed his face and grimaced. "Must control myself."

Hermione halted as well and looked at him. "You are acting very outlandishly." She looked thoughtful. "You've been like this since you left the Forbidden Forest. What happened to you in there?"

_I can control this. I will control this. _You control nothing. I am in control here. _What the fetid demon spawn was that? _

He grabbed Hermione and dragged her into a handy doorway. He saw Malfoy and Goyle laugh at this. He grabbed Hermione and took her by the neck, and whispered. "Obliviate." He concentrated on her mind and picked out the past five minutes to remove. He pushed Hermione back out into the corridor.

"Carry on."

"I feel strange. I've got a headache. What were we talking about?"

"Nothing, my dear. Nothing."

_I can. I will control this. _Voldemort, you filth! _The boy's spirit is stronger than I would have given him credit for. I need to kill Dumbledore while I can. How can I get sent to the Headmaster's study soon? Burn the school down? Tempting, but not a good idea. Get into a fight? No, I might have aurors about too quickly. Do a joke or prank? That was what those fools Fred and George Ferret - I mean Weasely always get into trouble for. According to Malfoy they are always being summoned to Dumbledore's office. Right, what would be a good prank? What would be really funny?_

Harry raised his wand as he walked past a door. "Exterminateor."

The door blew off the hinges, glowed red for an instant and disintegrated into a thousand pieces over a stunned looking first year class.

_Now that's a classic prank!_

Ron ran up to Harry. "What the hell have you done, mate?"

"It's a joke, it's a prank."

"Disintegrating a door is not a prank."

Minerva McGonagall came storming out of the classroom and up to Harry.

"Mr Potter, explain yourself!"

"What can I say? Take me to Dumbledore."

"Fifty points from Gryffindor."

_Yes! Yes! Yes! I am the man! Now just take me to old man Dumbledore. I'm itching to do some killing._

"Follow me, Mr Potter. You've got some explaining to do."

"Certainly, Minerva." Harry could not contain a smile as he followed behind her. A force seemed to be holding him back.

_Damn you Potter! You will not stop me! _

Harry was sweating but he managed to force his legs to follow her. He followed behind her as she mouthed the password to the gargoyle which lumbered out of the way and he walked up the stairs to Dumbledore's office.

"Wait here, Potter," said McGonagall. "I'll go and fetch the Headmaster."

Left alone, Harry took a vial out of his left pocket and sprinkledthe liquidover a plate of biscuits and marshmallows in the office. He had just finished when Dumbledore walked in and smiled at him.

"Hello, Harry." Dumbledore reached down and picked up a biscuit that he started to munch on. "What's this I hear about you blowing up doors?" Dumbledore started to go a strange shade of purple.


	8. Chapter Eight

All characters owned by J K Rowling of course.

I would like to thank Cmar for beta-reading this chapter and the previous few chapters and all the reviewers. They are all greatly appreciated. All reviews welcome.

**Chapter Eight – Harry Potter**

_Die, Dumbledore! Die!_

Dumbledore choked and tried to grasp his throat with his hand. All the while he was going a strange shade of purple.

No! _Your precious Dumbledore is dying, boy. _

Harry Potter started to do a strange jig. _I am the best! I am the best! _

Harry started shaking and sweating. _No! What are you doing?_ He grabbed hold of a darkpower remover from a table and crushed it to his chest. _What are you doing, you fool? _The remover was a small golden globe that glowed red in the presence of a dark wizard. It was glowing like the fiery pits of hell itself. _No!_ Yes! _Put the indicator down._

Shan't!

_I won't get into an argument with you. It burns!_

Good.

Harry Potter started to glow a strange red colour. A misty fanged shape formed of smoke poured out of his mouth. _No! _

Dumbledore started to get to his feet, the purple colour gradually leaving his face. "Very strange taste, those biscuits."

_No! You should be dead!_

"Tastes like some sort of cream? Ulcer? Wart? No, spot cream. An acquired taste, I'm sure. Remind me to fire those house elves. On second thought I'd better not; Hermione would never forgive me."

Harry Potter looked to his right. A ghost-like Voldemort was standing there. "_Spot cream? I put spot cream on his biscuits? Where's the poison?"_

With a triumphant look at Voldemort, Harry put his hand in the right hand pocket of his robes and pulled out the bottle of poison.

_"A curse on these spotty teenagers, you gave me the wrong bottle!"_

Dumbledore cast a spell at the ghostly form of Voldemort. "Imprisinion."

A fine network of golden bars surrounded Voldemort. _"You will pay for this, Dumbledore!"_

"You're probably right, but at least I won't be spotty."

A line of energy connected Dumbledore's wand to Voldemort. He next pointed his wand at a crystal ball on his desk and the spirit of Voldemort was trapped in it. Harry walked over to the crystal ball and he could see the face of Voldemort spinning in the void.

For the first time since the forest his mind felt clear. There was no evil presence in his mind. No voice talking in the background. He looked up at Dumbledore.

"Thank you, sir."

"No, thank you. I haven't tasted spot cream since I was a boy." He nodded his head sadly. "We used to have some strange ideas of pranks in those days. It got so you took to looking in mirrors as you walked down the corridor. Not because of vanity but because you wanted to know if you were the right shape to go through doors."

Harry looked at Dumbledore curiously. He couldn't imagine the old man being young and having fun. "What about Voldemort?"

Dumbledore smiled. "I haven't seen him in Hogwarts since he was a boy by the name of Tom Riddle." Dumbledore tapped the glass of the crystal ball with a bony finger. "Hello, Tom?" The face of Voldemort was mouthing curses and swear words. "You gave up on Herbology from what I remember?" Dumbledore's forehead creased as he thought. "Let's plant you in the flower garden. That way you can catch up…" Dumbledore raised his wand and the crystal ball floated out of the tower and crashed into the flowerbed below.

Harry raced to the window and could see the crystal ball surrounded by daffodils and begonias. He smiled and looked at Dumbledore. "Shouldn't he go to Azkaban?"

Dumbledore was nibbling at a marshmallow. "Eventually, eventually. In the fullness of time. When the season is over… Possibly. He makes such a nice garden ornament. Certainly better than my gnome collection." Dumbledore peered over at Harry. "So how long has Voldemort been possessing you then?"

Harry looked down at his feet and said in a small voice. "I don't know."

"These last two assignments you have done for Professor Snape have been terrible. Is that because of Voldemort's influence?"

A small spark of hope erupted in Harry. "Yes it is! I'd like several other bad marks to be taken into consideration as well please?"

Dumbledore gave him a shrewd look. He didn't need the powers of Legilemency to see what was going on in Harry's mind.

"We'll see. We'll see… I think you should see Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing. I also think you should talk to your friends without Voldemort's influence."

Harry suddenly felt like all his bones had been sucked out of his body. He was physically and mentally drained. The past five years of his life had been dominated by the shadowy figure of Voldemort. Not always directly but he had been a shadowy figure who had directed his life since birth. Why else would he have gone to the Dursley's? Why else would he have stayed there? Now that influence was gone. He did not know what his life would hold now. He walked down the stairs to the hallway, leaning on the wall as he went. Waiting at the bottom of the stairs were Ron and Hermione.

"Hey guys," said Harry and sat down with a thump on the floor in front of them. "You would not believe the day I've had…"

THE END


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